Former West Indies spinner Nehemiah Perry says the players will need to acclimatise to the conditions in Pakistan quickly if they’re to be successful in the two-Test series, starting on Friday at 12:30 am Jamaica time.

The Windies, in Andre Coley’s last series as head coach, will go in search of a win against the hosts in the opening match at Multan Cricket Stadium. The Caribbean side has struggled playing in the spin-friendly Pakistan, with their last match win away coming in November 1990. In fact, the West Indies team’s only series win away to Pakistan was in 1980-81.

Though their pace bowling unit is a strong point for the team, the Windies are expected to rely on spinners Gudakesh Motie, Jomel Warrican and all-rounder Kevin Sinclair, who have been conditioned over the last week by assistant coach, Jamaica’s Nikita Miller.

Perry says the spinners will need to perform at a high level if they’re to challenge the Pakistani batsmen.

“[They] will be under some sort of pressure because Pakistan should have at least three spinners. The last series, they spun England to win the Test match there. I wouldn’t say we have great quality but [Motie and Warrican] can probably do a job,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“Pakistanis are better players of spin but I can tell you good spin bowling, no matter how well you can bat, you can be rolled over. We’ll also need to be very tight in the field and keep the pressure on because sometimes, we release the pressure with some sloppy fielding so our intensity in the field needs to be backed up by some good spin bowling. We can get 20 wickets but we have to be very consistent, concentrate and stay one step ahead of the batsman.”

The batting department has been a longstanding issue with the Windies, mostly recently failing to pass 200 in three consecutive innings against Bangladesh last November.

However, Perry is urging captain Kraigg Brathwaite, the team’s most senior batsman, to take charge of the contest.

“You’re the leader so you have to lead from the front. If you hold up your hand up and surrender, what you expect from the rest of the players? So he needs to send a message to the rest of the team that he’s in charge, he’s the leader and he’s going to set the tone,” he said.

“The bowlers that dominate regional cricket over the years are spinners so it shows we cannot play spin, very few can bat spin bowling well. I don’t see Brathwaite as that sort of player that’s going to take you on, go over the top, chip and drive through the covers. He’s going to prod and hope for a single here and there. But he has a great role to play and his role is to really stand up and bat and consolidate if there’s any issues around the batting. Batting the entire day and getting a century will set a positive tone in the team.”

Perry believes the players shouldn’t be affected by Coley’s imminent departure with Daren Sammy set to take over in the coming months.

“If I were in their shoes, I would want to do well and to send a message that I have some sort of quality to maintain my place in the team. Even Andre going out with glory to set in people’s minds that he won the last series he was in charge of.

“It’s very important that they stand up same way and be counted. They’re all professional so they shouldn’t think negative. A true professional will always think of winning and wanting do well because that’s what you do for living. Why would you want to give a mediocre performance?”

The Windies have only won the opening Test match in a series once in their last 17 matches.

Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Joshua Da Silva (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican